This February News 3 won the 5 p.m. news time slot for the first time in 24 years! Hampton Roads news veterans Barbara Ciara, Les Smith and Chief Meteorologist Patrick Rockey now anchor the area’s #1 5 p.m. newscast.

News 3 finished the February ratings period up 31% at 5 p.m. and won the time slot with a 4.2 rating.

“It’s a testament to everyone’s hard work,” says Ryan Minnaugh, News 3 News Director. “This is one part of our long term strategy to provide the best news, sports and
entertainment in Hampton Roads,” Minnaugh added.

The success at 5 p.m. is part of the ratings groundswell at News 3. At 6 a.m., News 3 This Morning is up 32% over last February. News 3 continues to dominate in the Noon hour
and once again owns Hampton Roads #1 newscast at 4 p.m.

The aforementioned success at 4 and 5 p.m., helped catapult News 3 At 5:30 p.m., into second place and led into the night where News 3 also earned second place in the market for the 11 p.m. newscast.

In the 6 p.m. hour News 3 is the only station to improve over last year; growing 18% while everyone else in the market experienced declines.

Also on News 3, Ellen is the queen of all daytime talk shows; beating everyone in the genre and finishing February up 42% over last year. Not to be outdone, CBS soaps
Young and The Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful continue to be the highest rated afternoon dramas in the market.

News 3’s locally produced lifestyle show, Coast Live also beat its competition, The Hampton Roads Show, for the first time this February. Coast Live also finished February up 58% in the 10 a.m., hour over last year.

On WTKR’s sister station, WGNT 27, News 3 widened the gap in the 7 p.m. ratings race; nearly tripling the ratings of its nearest competitor in the first half hour.

News 3 At 10 p.m., on WGNT 27 also experienced an increase, improving 22% over last year, while all other local news ratings in the 10 p.m., hour declined.